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Guilty plea entered in animal cruelty case

More than three years after she was initially charged, a Vernon woman has entered one guilty plea in an animal cruelty case.

Carla Christman, 48, pleaded guilty in provincial Court Monday to one count of failing to provide necessaries for animals.

She had been facing a number of charges including causing animals to be in distress, causing unnecessary pain and suffering to an animal, assaulting a peace officer and wilfully resisting or obstructing a peace officer.

The remainder of the charges were stayed.

Judge Mark Takahashi gave Christman a suspended sentence and placed her on two years probation.

Christman was charged in December 2009 after SPCA constables seized in September of that year what they described as “28 thin and emaciated horses languishing with untreated injuries” from a property outside of Vernon.

SPCA investigators also discovered 39 terrier mix dog and puppies and four cats inside an unventilated area. One pig and one llama were also taken from Christman’s property.

Crown lawyer Chris Balison said Christman will be allowed to assist in helping out at the horse and cattle ranch she lives on under the direction of her daughter, Chelsea, who also lives there.